Just A Little
by Senko Ryu
Summary: Naraku is gone, the Jewel is gone, and everything is as peaceful as it can be in a warring era. But 'The End' doesn't mean everything stops, nor does 'Happily Ever After' continue on the expected path. Sesshomaru starts to realize this...just a little.


Spoilers: For the ending, and bound to get worse if I post more drabbles.

World: Canon, takes place after the ending.

Pairing: Suggested SesshomaruXKagome, but could be taken as platonic.

Sesshomaru was not one to waste time. He was known to leave his charges behind in order to accomplish a task faster. He could accomplish in a few days alone what would take him weeks should he move at a pace they could follow. Obviously, striking down so-called threats alone was not only simpler, easier, and safer but it allowed him to go back to his peaceful, in his mind, wanderings with his charges.

Thus, Sesshomaru was a bit (confused) _curious_ concerning his current behavior. Somehow on his way back to Rin, AhUn, and Jaken he had been stopped, greeted, and invited to dinner. And not necessarily in that order. Sesshomaru, while not one to (lie) _stretch the truth_ to himself, sometimes had trouble admitting that She often put him into a state of (confusion) _curiosity _that (overwhelmed) _disorganized_ his senses in such a way that he had (trouble remembering) _a feeling of apathy towards_ the order of events.

So now Sesshomaru was sitting in awkward silence with his half brother while She vainly tried to fill the silence with Her cheerful chatter. Inuyasha munched on his dinner while watching Sesshomaru with narrowed eyes. The demon lord tried not to feel too disgusted when a normally unoffensive slurp of a noodle sent broth sprinkling over the table. Sesshomaru subtly shifted his youki to burn any stray splatters that threatened his pristine being. He frowned slightly to cover his (amusement) _complete apathy_ over Her mutant expression of fondness and exasperation.

"Inuyasha..." She sighed. The half demon absentmindedly handed Her a napkin while never removing his stare from Sesshomaru . She wiped a spot off Her face and abruptly changed tactics. She propped Her elbow on the table and peered closely at him. She slyly opened Her mouth. His eyes narrowed in warning.

"Big bro-"

"_What do you want?"_ Sesshomaru hissed. From the corner of his eye he watched Inuyasha sit back and drag his hand over his face.

"Who says I want anything?" She cocked Her head to the side in coy innocence.

"Why else would I be invited?" His voice drifted back into monotone. A flash of something similar to hurt crossed Her face, so quickly he was not sure if it had truly been there. Sesshomaru glanced at Inuyasha, whose ears lay flat on his head.

"While I admit I had a request..." She said with a bland smile, "I wasn't expecting to be indulged. And I figured dinner was good enough excuse to have you stick around and catch up." Sesshomaru felt (guilty) _annoyed_ about the situation, not to mention (intrigued) _curious_ about Her request. Inuyasha glared at him as if he had walked in and murdered all of their human friends' kids. Sesshomaru silently resolved to teach Rin several new knots to practice on Inuyasha's hair for the next time she went 'human training' in this village.

"I am in the process of teaching Rin some knots." Sesshomaru offered quietly. Sesshomaru was (sadistically delighted) _amused_ by Inuyasha's looked of horror and (relieved) (placated) (soothed)**..._?_...**by Her soft smile.

"That's wonderful! Shippo has been eager to learn more after Rin's last stay."

Several more words were exchanged. Inuyasha was oddly quiet the whole time and She either expected or not noticed the behavior. Sesshomaru brought no attention to it, seeing no reason to question good fortune. Inuyasha left with the dishes, Sesshomaru's still untouched, while She walked with him to the edge of the village. He was just about to take flight when She shyly shuffled Her feet and tapped the ends of Her fingers together. The sight anchored him, reluctantly, to the ground. Sesshomaru glared at Her. The glare grew fiercer when She sent him a sweet, shy smile that did nothing to hide the devious light in Her eyes.

"I was wondering if you would..."

Sesshomaru flew through the clouds in his dog demon form, doing his best to ignore Her cries of delight as She held tightly to a tuft of fur next to his ear.

So he indulged Her-just a little.


End file.
